Cole delighted to keep pressure on Chelsea

Ashley Cole said Arsenal are determined to stay close to leaders Chelsea as his side won for the first time in five games despite conceding four goals at White Hart Lane.

Cole, whose team are two points behind Chelsea after the 5-4 win at Spurs, said: "After the disappointing results we have had it was a great show of desire and passion to win the game.

"It was what we needed and hopefully it will turn our season around again. We defended not the best from set pieces again, but if we keep scoring we will take the wins all the time.

"To come to Tottenham and get a result was what we needed."

Cole also praised Jens Lehmann for a save after Tottenham had taken the lead: "At 2-0 down, that would have probably killed us. We conceded four but getting the three points was the main thing. We want to keep on Chelsea's toes."

Robert Pires hopes that he has used the match to change the course of his season. Pires has been relegated to the bench after a series of indifferent performances, but White Hart Lane has been a happy hunting ground for him in the past and he felt it would be again on Saturday.

Pires - who was in Paris today to explain his criticisms of the management style of national coach Raymond Domenech to the French Football Federation - turned to fellow substitute Mathieu Flamini and said: "When I go on, I will score." And he did, netting what proved to be the winner.

"I had felt better all last week," said Pires, who said that he had needed time to recover from a kidney infection earlier this season.

"I hope the goal will be the turning point for me this season - just as my goal at Liverpool was last season."

Arsene Wenger said: "Usually derbies are 0-0 or completely crazy and this was a completely crazy one.

"Conceding four will not have done much good [for the defence], but winning will."